Letters to the Editor – September 18

Decision to Abandon the Pebble Mine Project good one
The Renewable Resources Coalition has stated from its inception that the proposed Pebble Mine was too great a risk for the surrounding watershed, the fishery and Alaska. On Monday, Anglo American recognized the magnitude of this risk and stepped down from the project, supporting the fact that mining and fishing cannot coexist in Bristol Bay. If one of the world’s largest mining companies sees this project as a bad business investment, Alaskans and other mining companies should follow their lead and abandon the proposed Pebble Mine project as well. The state needs to protect the world’s greatest wild salmon fishery and the vibrant fishing industry of Bristol Bay.
According to a 2013 report from the UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research, the Bristol Bay fishery is valued at 1.5 billion dollars and supplies over half the world’s sockeye salmon. Bristol Bay is good business that supports Alaskans and the local economy.
The Renewable Resources Coalition urges Alaskans to support continued legislation which would provide permanent protections in the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve. Support the work of the Renewable Resources Coalition to ensure continued protection of the Bristol Bay Fishery and Alaska’s fishing and hunting resources.
Renewable Resources Coalition an Alaskan non-profit was established in 2005 with a mission to protect Alaska’s fishing and hunting resources. RRC represents commercial, subsistence and sport fishermen from the region and is the largest local voice in the Pebble Mine debate. www.RenewableResourcesCoalition.orgAnders GustafsonExecutive directorRenewable Resource Coalition

Support playing field turf
As Mariner football and soccer parents, past present and future, we urge our neighbors and friends to get out and vote Oct. 1 in the borough election and support the school bond, which includes a turf athletic field for Homer High. Our football and soccer programs – both for high school and summer youth – deserve to be brought up to the standards that now prevail in the rest of railbelt Alaska.
The turf field’s cost is less than 10 percent of the $23 million total for the school bond, which will mostly pay for repairing old and leaky school roofs in Kenai, Soldotna, Tustumena and Homer (borough voters approved similar repairs three years ago for schools in Seward, Ninilchik, Sterling and Cooper Landing). And just like last time, if the voters say yes, the state will reimburse the Kenai Peninsula Borough for 70 percent of the total.
That’s not quite as sweet as the full funding that Kenai and Soldotna got from the legislature for their new turf fields. But it’s a very good deal – and it’s the best we’re going to get in Homer, our elected officials tell us. Turf is safer, cheaper to maintain and extends the playing seasons. This is our one shot to get our kids out of the mud, joining Palmer, Wasilla, Colony, Houston, Kenai, Soldotna and all the Anchorage schools in the modern age.
If you care about this long-sought project, don’t leave it for someone else to take care of. There’s a certain number of voters who will always vote against school bonds. We need a strong Homer turnout on election day, Oct. 1. Get your friends out, too, and remember you can vote early if you’ll be out of town. Our kids will thank us.Tom Kizzia, Katie Watson, Tracy Sumpton, Lisa Zatz, Ginny Espenshade

Art support appreciated
At Bunnell, we blaze from one artistic project to the next, yet the ripples from a single event can reverberate for a very long time. We now have the opportunity to relive these magic moments with improvements to our online outreach. Kammi Matson has done a terrific job designing Bunnell’s new website: www.bunnellarts.org.
On the website, one can find many short videos embedded. Taping our events, creating an archive of audio and video, transferring years worth of projects and creating short edits for easy public consumption has been the long-term volunteer project of Michael Walsh. Recently, he transferred many of these tapes to a hard disc for storage and editing. Hours of short video clips are now archived on Vimeo and accessible at various locations under the program headings on our website. We have achieved these improvements with grants from Rasmuson Foundation and Homer Foundation.
Homer Foundation’s support demonstrates collaborative economic development with this local nonprofit. By improving our online presence, we access more participants: artists and consumers, members, collectors and donors. Together, we promote the richness of Alaska artistic culture and assist local artists with their entrepreneurship.
Across the country, the role of the arts as an economic engine is growing in acceptance and strength. Policymakers who support funding and policies at the local level that recognize the growth potential and direct benefits of strategic investment in the arts in order to drive economic development are truly forward-thinking. For the state, Rasmuson leads Alaska to greater creative capacity and achievement. Locally, Homer Foundation leads our community in cultural investment. We are grateful for their stewardship.Asia FreemanExecutive/Artistic DirectorBunnell Street Arts Center

Thank You Homer!
On behalf of the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, I want to thank the community of Homer for making the 19th-annual Breast Cancer Run a success. Funds raised by this event assist in the clinic’s ability to provide low-cost and free breast cancer screenings and mammograms to hundreds of women in the community each year. All of the funds raised stay here in Homer, offering KBFPC the flexibility to meet the individual needs of our clients with the care and compassion that our agency has always been known for.
I am consistently amazed by the generosity of our community. Local businesses, volunteers and run participants truly make this a wonderful and meaningful event.Morgan SiciliaKachemak Bay Family Planning ClinicBoard of directors

Vulnerable elders
Will you help us look out for our vulnerable neighbors? Winter will be here soon. The season can be hard on adults who are vulnerable for some reason – such as a disability, health condition or old age. More than 5,600 vulnerable Alaskan adults were at risk for abuse or were victims of self-neglect, neglect, or physical, emotional and financial abuse last year. If you know an adult who is unable to care for him- or herself properly, or may be being harmed or exploited, please contact Adult Protective Services at 1-800-478-9996.We work to protect the independence and physical, financial and emotional wellbeing of adults 18 and older. Our services are voluntary; Alaska law protects the right of mentally competent adults to choose liberty over safety and we’ll honor their decision while offering support. So don’t hesitate to “SPEAK UP” for at-risk adults if you see any of these warning signs:
Sudden change in behavior, finances or lifestyle physical injures, dehydration or malnourishment, extreme withdrawal, depression or anxiety, absence of basic care or necessities, kept away from others, unsanitary living conditions, personal items or money missing, you don’t have to be certain that a situation is abusive or neglectful; we will look into it. Your report is confidential, and can make all the difference in someone’s world. Brenda Mahlatini, program manager, Adult Protective Services, Division of Senior & Disabilities Services, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

2 Responses for “Letters to the Editor – September 18”

Questions on the turf field ~
Want to make sure that the new track and turf field WILL BE more available for the public to use. In the past, the football team/booster club has monopolized the football field and all but called the cops if people were out there throwing a frisbee around. The school grounds need to be a more welcoming place for community members to utilize in a mindful, safe, and respectable way. This includes allowing more sports teams to utilize the area than football and soccer.
Also, please make the field an interesting color like Boise St. Blue! Why does a turf field have to be green?

As Buccanner (EOS Petro) is preparing to begin drilling in the west eagle, it would be nice for the public to be informed of what is going on.

Buccaneer has farmed out the west eagle project to EOS Petro.

The two leases for the project, each to cost $600,000 have not been paid for.

The deadline for this project had been set by July 1, was extended to Sept 1 so to begin work on this project now will be violating this deadline.

The company has admitted that it needs permission to use the access road which they have not been granted.

Private Agreements:

James & Candy VanOss
 LNO for Access Road Use

They are planning on drilling in this area without paying the leases, while ignoring the deadlines put in place, and without permission from James and Candy VanOss.

This company will be trespassing and breaking the law.

If they are this cavalier with the law now, what will they do after drilling? What will they really do with their fracking waste? Will they care about protecting our water, streams, rivers, Fish! from cancer causing chemicals?

Please write more on this issue and help protect our local community from these violations.

SEARCH ARCHIVE

Search by DateSearch by Category

RECENT COMMENTS

MISSION STATEMENT

It is our mission to inform readers of local government activity that touches the lives of the citizens it serves; to celebrate the freedom of speech granted all of us by publishing letters of opinion and matters of record; and to offer news of people, places and events that chronicles Homer and the lower Kenai Peninsula. Most importantly, we strive to improve standards in the practice of the profession of journalism, and to promote a high standard of conduct and professional ethics in the business of newspaper publishing.